(The Center Square) – Entergy Louisiana is seeking a generous tax break to help pay for new energy infrastructure tied to Meta’s $10 billion data center in the northeast portion of the state, filing for a property tax exemption worth an estimated $237 million over 10 years.
Entergy’s application under the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program would waive local property taxes on a new natural gas-fired power facility to serve Meta’s operations, according to records obtained by The Center Square. The Titanium Power Station is expected to include two combined-cycle combustion turbines capable of producing 1,500 megawatts of electricity for the massive data center.
Building this infrastructure, which the state has deemed an “investment,” will exceed $2.3 billion. Entergy has said Meta will pay to build the power station and the deal will save ratepayers $650 million over 15 years.
“The new generation resources being added to Entergy Louisiana’s system will be among the most efficient in the state, providing additional fuel savings and long-term reliability benefits for customers statewide,” Entergy said.
The filing comes as Louisiana’s largest utility races to meet the electricity needs of new industrial and tech investments, notably Meta’s data center in Richland Parish and Hyundai Steel’s $5.8 billion hydrogen-integrated mill in Ascension Parish. Both companies have applied for or received approval under the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption Programs to offset their capital costs.
Entergy has already proposed billions in transmission and generation upgrades statewide to support these developments. Company officials say the utility must expand generation capacity quickly to keep up with rising electricity demand, but also as a means of economic development.
Once operational, Meta’s contributions to costs that would otherwise paid by Entergy ratepayers are expected to reduce customer bills. In particular, Meta is expected to lower customer storm charges by an average of approximately 10% and lower the bill impacts of resilience upgrades for customers by a similar amount.
“The rates are not going to go up, and, in fact, may go down,” Entergy public affairs director Jody Montelaro told lawmakers in 2025, citing Meta’s agreement to shoulder much of its infrastructure costs.
Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration has pushed regulators to fast-track such projects under its “Lightning Speed” initiative, a directive that allows expedited approval for industrial-scale energy needs. Critics have warned the approach risks shifting billions in costs onto ratepayers if oversight lags.
At the same time, state officials and economic developers hail projects like Meta and Hyundai as transformative, promising thousands of jobs, billions in capital investment and long-term property tax revenue once the tax exemptions expire.
